We’ve all heard of restomod custom cars that integrate modern equipment into classic bodies, but what about the opposite approach: taking a modern car and adding vintage elements? That’s exactly what happened here.
The Pick of the Day is a low-mileage 2006 Pontiac GTO listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. (Click the link to view the listing)
What we have here is a final-generation GTO with a hood scoop and grille badging from a 1967 car, fog light bezels from a 1972, and additional enhancements that add to the back-dated motif.
“I purchased this car in 2016 with the intention to cut it up and restomod a 1974 GTO. I drove it home from Vermont to Massachusetts and fell in love. I sold the ’74 GTO instead. If you’ve never driven an Aussie GTO, you owe yourself the favor. I have never driven this car and not gotten goosebumps.”
The GTO model was born in the early 1960s, initially sold as an option package for the LeMans which rode on the General Motors A-body. The GTO name itself originated as an abbreviation of “Gran Turismo Omologato” – basically, a certification title for race cars, originally coined by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) in France. In the years and decades that followed, the GTO became a well-known name in the new muscle car segment.
Showing just 44,000 miles on the odometer, this GTO comes from the fifth generation of the model which came out in model year 2004. The car was essentially a rebadged Holden Monaro, assembled in Elizabeth, South Australia, and imported to the United States.
The seller describes how the car was disassembled and color-changed from Torrid Red to Spice Red. A few cosmetic changes were made as mentioned above, but the original parts were retained and are included with the sale. The explanation continues: “I spent $5,000 on custom wheels that would fill the wheel wells to maximum and the stickiest tires I could find to try and make this beast grab the road without burning the tires off it… and take corners at outrageous speeds.”
Power for this muscle car comes from a 6.0-liter LS2 V8 mated to a four-speed automatic transmission, a combination good for 400 horsepower which is healthy even by today’s standards.
Perhaps this customized GTO could satisfy the itch for retro style while delivering modern creature comforts. Best of all, the original parts are included if someone just wants a sub-50k-mile cream puff. With available sticky tires, of course!
The asking price is $21,500 or best offer.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
As seen on Tv … a great donor car, if you had a late 60’s gto – otherwise, a hard pass
Need help with mine. Could use all the info I can get @ Tyson hugie
Tyson wrote a story about a car for sale. If you need help with yours, I suggest joining a forum that specializes in these GTOs.
Hmmm….a bit of stretch to suggest it has a back-dated look. Very subtle, if not completely unnoticeable, as far as any retro motif. Certainly fast, but quite a generic looking design to begin with. Is it a Grand Prix, G6 or GTO? All share the same nondescript GM design…blobs.
At least you can tell it’s a Pontiac.
Hi Im Danny. I in Naples Florida..Has the car been driven on salted roads during winter months? Kept inside?? Maintainence records. thanku
You need to reach out to the seller, who can be contacted via links in the story.
What mods? A badge and undistinguished set of fog lights. Dude put in at least 15-20 minutes or wrench time.
Even though it’s not a Pontiac?